Hebrews 11:6 Psalms 33:11& 13-14 Proverbs 29:18 Matthew 6:33
There was a time in my life when I casually dated truth while remaining in a long term relationship with deception. I can never forget the day that my mother got saved and joined a church. At just eleven years old I realized on that day that life as I knew it would change forever. We where members of a modest but growing church in Chicago called Apostolic Church of God where Arthur M. Brazier was the pastor.
Over the years I noticed tremendous growth in the church and my mother's life. She was happier, nicer, and more understanding than ever. The only exception was that I had to go to church no matter what. I didn’t care much for church because many of the people seemed mean and hypocritical. I had a hard time understanding the bible but I did understand enough to know that if you didn’t chose Jesus you would go to Hell. So out of fear, I joined the church. And every time I thought my sin would lead me to Hell I would get baptized again as if it was some sort of Hell be gone product.
Over the years, I spent my life wandering, while inside the church living as a Christian. After hearing bible story after bible story in Sunday school, teaching after teaching at bible study, and being at church literally 7 days a week I still didn’t understand much about my faith. In fact the first time someone asked me what my faith was I replied “I’m a Christian”. When they continued to ask but what denomination are you I had nothing. I just told them what church I went to. That was when I realized how divided thatChristianity had become.
Many years passed and by the time I was a junior in high school I was no longer forced to go to church and so I stopped going. As years progressed high school ended and I was kicked out of my mother’s house and lived in my car for 2 years. We eventually reconciled and I was allowed to come back home. Not long after my mother was diagnosis with cancer and died a few years later. My life became reckless as I fled away from anything that resembled God.
Eventually I started searching for God and I looked in Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Black Israelites, etc. Finally I found myself visiting churches of all denominations all around the city of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. It was like window shopping at a store or mall. As a person who tries on a fresh pair of sneakers I tried on churches. One day a friend of mine invited me to a church and after the service I told my friend that the pastor was good but the church didn’t fit me. The next time we visited that same church the Pastor announced that he was stepping down.
A month later that same pastor contacted me and two of my friends ( yes one of them was the guy who invited me). We started fellowshipping at my apartment together twice a week. We would read, pray, and learn the truth about God’s word. For the first time I was learning and being discipled by this wise Pastor. I thank God for Pastor Dewayne Brown it is because of his obedience to God that I learned how to build my own authentic relationship with God. He taught me to challenge the teachings of men and compare them to God’s living word expressing his will.
Matthew 6:33 has become the anchor to my life. Like a child depends on his earthly father as his source, flocks to his earthly father, and asks of him questions about everything so do I unto God my heavenly father. In Psalms 14:2& 53:2 I learned that “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Also in Proverbs 8:17 I learned that “God loves them that love God; and those who seek God early shall find him”. When I saw Jesus speak of a Kingdom I wondered what is this kingdom he speaks of?
Today I am growing in my understanding of this truth. Five years ago I was introduced to this radical paradigm shift that dared to proclaim that there was more to our walk of faith then just being saved or simply having salvation. Embracing Jesus as savior and lord causes us to truly honor the shedding of his blood on the cross. We learn that his death, burial, and resurrection did more than set us free from sin or provide eternal life. King Jesus modeled the lifestyle that we must live before our father God and the country that has now become our home. In the Kingdom of God, unlike in our United States government God is not a president who can be voted out of office, and as citizens of heaven we are not living under a democracy. God is owner, Supreme Sovereign, Holy Father, and the ruling presence in the land . We have rights written in a constitution that we call the bible and God’s will and decree is law. The Bible is about a King, A Kingdom, and A royal family ( that would be us). We must share and celebrate King Jesus who paid for the remissions of our sin by the shedding of his blood on the cross.
The good news is that along the finished work of Christ Jesus that provides us salvation and eternal life we have now entered a new country (The Kingdom of God), culture, paradigm, and reality. The reality of the Kingdom of God provokes a transformation in us from the inside out. We have been given the privilege to know the mind and heart of God and grow in our relationship with him through constant fellowship with him and submission to him. We now live in his house and in his country under his authority. We have also been adopted into his family, and have become his holy nation and royal people. We have been reconciled and restored back unto the fellowship with God that the 1st Adam once had ( The Garden of Eden experience).
If we are truly God’s very on people we will demonstrate his will, heart, mindset, and our lifestyles will boast of his glory. God is actively ruling and reigning in his creation. God is priority in our lives and his influence over our lives trumps all other influences. He created us in his image and likeness to demonstrate his authorized ideas, will, ways, nature, character, spirit, and dominion in the earth.
He handpicked us to rule earth collectively as he rules heaven. He released his original idea and perfect plan in the agent of man to steward, care for, and usher in his will in the earth. If we would just seek him life would be so much easier. Don’t be mislead by religious well meaning men, women, and leaders who pervert God’s word. Beware of the leaven of wolves in Sheppard’s clothing who have replace God’s original vision of the church with Jesus as head with their own opinions, objectives, interests and motives.
There is a reason why many of us aren’t content with our church experiences and fast-food messages. We desire substance, instructions for everyday living, and sound doctrine. Remember that every wind or sound of doctrine isn’t sound doctrine in itself. So study to show thyself approve unto God and discern wisely. In closing seek edification that illuminates not entertainment that inspires or allows you to justify your sins.
WWW.CLOUD77PRO.COM TM ©March 2012
by Hakeem Ade
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